Penstemon plant named ‘Grape Taffy’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Penstemon  plant characterized by large purple red flowers with white throats, dense flower clusters, long bloom time, a compact, upright, well branched habit, with multiple crown from the base, clean-looking, deep green, attractive foliage, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Penstemon spp.

Variety designation: ‘Grape Taffy’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPenstemon, given the name, ‘Grape Taffy’. Penstemon is in the familyScrophulariaceae. This plant originated from an open pollinated crossusing Penstemon ‘Violet Kissed’, an unpatented plant, as the seedparent. This cultivar was selected for its compact growing habit, largeflowers in dense clusters, long flowering time, vigor, and cleanattractive look. It is an ideal plant for a sunny border in full sun.

Compared to the seed parent, Penstemon ‘Violet Kissed’, an unpatentedplant, the new cultivar has red purple lips rather than violet. Bothhave a white throat.

Compared to Penstemon ‘Wine Kissed’, an unpatented plant, the newcultivar has red purple lips rather than dark wine red. Both have awhite throat.

Penstemon ‘Grape Taffy’ is uniquely distinguished by its:

-   -   1. large purple red flowers with white throats;    -   2. dense flower clusters;    -   3. long bloom time;    -   4. compact, upright, well branched habit, with multiple crown        from the bas;    -   5. clean-looking, deep green, attractive foliage; and    -   6. excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand micropropagation using terminal and lateral shoots as done in Canby,Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions cometrue to form and are established and transmitted through succeedingpropagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary withvariations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a close up of a one year old Penstemon ‘Grape Taffy’ in thesummer in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2, foreground, shows a two year old Penstemon ‘Grape Taffy’ inbloom growing in full sun in the trail bed in July in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Penstemon cultivarbased on observations of one-year-old specimens grown outside in onegallon pots in Canby, Oreg. in late July. The color descriptions are allbased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Form.—Upright, branching.        -   Cold Hardiness.—USDA Zone 7-10.        -   Size.—Grows to 26 cm wide and 58 cm high.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Stem number.—3 stems from the crown.        -   Stem.—Upright, grows to 44 cm long and 4 mm wide (at the            base), glabrous, internodes grow to 3.5 cm long, Yellow            Green 146C.        -   Rooting.—Plants root easily from stem cuttings.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Sessile.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 11 cm long and 3.5 cm wide.        -   Surface texture.—Glabrous on both sides.        -   Leaf color.—Topside Green 137A, bottom side Green 137B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Terminal, many flowered, dense thyrse.        -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—26 on average.        -   Size of inflorescence.—Grows to 16 cm long and 9 cm wide.        -   Peduncle.—Grows to 2.5 cm long and 1 mm wide, glabrous,            Yellow Green 146D.        -   Pedicel.—Grows to 17 cm long and 4 mm wide, pubescent,            Yellow Green 146D.        -   Bloom period.—June through September in Canby, Oreg. if            spent blooms are removed.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—2 cm long and 12 mm wide.        -   Description.—Ovoid, bulging, flattened ventrically.        -   Color.—Purple N77B except Greyed Green 193C on bottom tube.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Zygomorphic, perfect.        -   Shape.—Tubular, bilabiate.        -   Size.—Grows to 4 cm long and 4.5 cm wide.        -   Corolla description.—Grows to 4 cm long and 4.5 cm wide;            tube is funnel-form in the calyx for 4 mm long and 6 mm            wide, inflating for 25 mm long to 24 mm wide, flaring into 5            lobes, the two smaller top lobes flare back (15 mm wide and            12 mm deep) and two larger lateral lobes flare out (20 mm            wide and 17 mm deep), and the lower lobe flares down (16 mm            wide and 12 mm deep), lobe margins entire, tips obtuse;            outside glandular, inside glabrous; outside Red Purple 70A            maturing to Purple Violet N81B except bottom side where it            lightens to White NN155B at tube base; inside color is Red            Purple N78A on lobes, tube is White NN155D with bee tracks            of Red Purple N78A.        -   Calyx description.—10 mm deep and 13 mm wide, 5 overlapping            lobes cut to the base, each lobe broadly ovate in shape, 10            mm deep and 7 mm wide, margins entire, tip acute, base            cuneate, Yellow Green 145A and pubescent inside and outside.        -   Pistil description.—1, 28 mm long, ovary 6 mm long and 2.5            mm wide, Yellow Green 145A; style 22 mm long and less than 1            mm wide, Red Purple 70A on the bottom half to Violet Blue            91C on the top half.        -   Stamen description.—5, one sterile without an anther, held            within the corolla, filaments 3 cm long and White NN155C,            anthers 3 mm wide and 1.5 deep, Greyed Purple N186A, pollen            White 155A.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness.—A flower lasts 5 to 6 days.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type.—Capsule.        -   Fertility.—Good.        -   Size.—1.2 cm deep and 4 mm wide.        -   Color.—Brown 200A to B.-   Seed:    -   -   Shape.—Irregular.        -   Size.—2 mm long.        -   Color.—Brown 200A.-   Pests and diseases:

Excellent disease tolerance to root rot, a common problem for Penstemon.Leaf spot, rust, and powdery mildew may be a problem, but have not beenobserved on the new cultivar. No known disease or pest resistances.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Penstemon plant substantiallyas shown and described.